At the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, 140 delegates from 15 countries that form part of the General Fisheries Commission of the Mediterranean (GFCM), met for the MedFish4Ever Conference which was held over a period of two days and organized together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and GFCM.
18 speakers, including Ministers from countries around the Mediterranean, outlined their vision and commitment on how they will accelerate and guarantee sustainability in the fishing sector. They also discussed the control and elimination of illegal fishing, ecosystems and the recent challenges of alien species, among other priorities. They insisted on a common effort to overcome these challenges together.
Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said, explained how Malta continued to work to improve national governance in relation to the fisheries sector while developing a sustainable aquaculture sector.
She reiterated the importance of how Malta sees the need to strengthen collaboration with neighbouring Mediterranean countries in order to secure the efforts being made in light of pressures on fish stock and ecosystems. The Parliamentary Secretary described how Malta emphasises the need for a gradual implementation of measures to protect the livelihood of fishermen while calling for equal opportunities in the fishing field.
“We must keep in mind the concept of shared resources, and the need for and that priority should be given to a collaborative approach in terms of sustainability within this. Together I believe we can achieve a more economically viable but sustainable sector,” concluded Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo explained the purpose behind these important meetings and discussions that took place. “It is important to recognise the present challenges, but it is even more important to recognise the opportunities and change accordingly so that we always see that fishing and aquaculture in the Mediterranean remain sustainable”.
The Minister also made reference to the MedFish4Ever declaration that was signed in Malta in 2017, where, through its signing, nations in the region committed to take steps forward in this regard. The Minister mentioned how in recent years progress has been made, also in light of the fact that the world has gone through a pandemic that has substantially affected the fishing and Aquaculture sector.
“Despite these challenges, today we are here to face these challenges together, challenges that are turning into opportunities. That is why as leaders we must see that we always reach the objectives of the MedFish4Ever declaration, concluded Minister Refalo, whilst thanking the delegations present and appealed that together they preserve the resources of the Mediterranean not only for today but also for future generations.
Representing the European Commission in his role as special advisor to EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, Karmenu Vella remarked, “The MedFish4Ever process is very close to my heart, as I had the honour of representing the European Commission when we laid its foundation here in Malta in 2017. We should be proud of the historic achievements we have made collectively since then. Today, the GFCM stands stronger than ever. We have built a robust framework with the 2030 Strategy and its action plan. Now we need to continue showing political will to fully implement our commitments. The EU’s commitment to deliver on MedFish4Ever and the GFCM 2030 Strategy remains unabated, now and for the future. It is up to us to create a resilient future for our local communities, to restore and to protect the stocks and marine ecosystems, and to create a sustainable and a dignified working environment for generations to come – the future they all deserve”.
